Clean-out apparatus for zinc-furnaces.



F, A. HE'NKEY. 1 CLEAN-OUT APPARATUS FORUM) ruamcm APPLICATION men 1uNE1 i-a1s.

Patented. Apr. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-:SHEET '2- F. A. HINKEY.. CLEAN-OUT APPARATUS-FOR ZINC FURNACES. APPHCAHON HLEDJUNE16,1913.

lqwfiifiw v Patented Apr. 11,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HU 7 g Q I I r Invent: Y.

F. HiNKEY: CLEAN-OUT APPARATUS FOR ZINC FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1913 Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

5 2:232:23 F1 .5. 22a 2 Er W LT'fieSsQE. :TnvenTor I FEANKAHI KEY.

X WM 70 mg] m settinig' of theapparatus, allthe retorts of '30 "Ensues. nxufxnr, or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

CLEAN-com APPARATUS .Furt znvo-roimac'ns.

arrests;

. Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 11, 1915*.

Application filed June 16,1913. Serial No, 773,898.

To ZZZ ski/1.0m; tamy concern."

"Be it known that I; FRANK A. HINKEY,

a citizen ofthe illl nited States, residing at ieipr-ingtield in the countyof tSangamon and State'fot Illinois,.haveinvented a Enew and useful Gle'anaOut Apparatus for ZinoFur Thisiiinvention relates to, means for removing the material, called blue powder qt'roin the ends ofgthe retorts and from the retort, plates, and removing the residuum from the'retorts and "retort plat esand scrap-' ing the inside of'the retorts and bumping the open ends of theretorts.- I I The generalpurpose of theinvention is to provide an apparatus of relativelylow first cost, of simple construction and eifece tive for the purposes stated, and capable of ca sy and rapid operation, thereby minimizing the laborrequired and correspondingly reducing the cost of extracting the metal from the ore. i p

More specific purposes of theinvention are; to'provide a movable main structure equipped withall the tools necessary for takingthe sample from the i'etorts, scraping the retort platesand cleaning out ateach a half-sectionof a zinc furnace, or a like I a Y number of retorts in different sections; to provide means for centering and alining the tools relative to the retorts immediately in front of thoa ipzn-atus; to provide means for supporting the tools which are not in use in such position that they will not interfere with the manipulation of the tools which are in use; to provide means for con-- venient disposal of the blue powder; to pro vide means for final disposal oltfithe resid' uum taken from the retorts and retort plates to provide means, to protect the op-,

construction, as will hereinafter more fully appean,

Vitith these ends in View this invention consists in the new and useful combinations otparts and details-of constructlon shown the annexed; drawings to which reference 'naces, of which; the followlng is specifica- 'tion.

is hereby made, and hereinatter particularly. described claims. V p

Figures '1, 2, 3; and 4 are respectively a top plan,.alfront elevation, an end "elevation, and a rear elevationof'the apparatus. Fig. 5 isan enlarged'horizont al transverse section on the lineX.- X. of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section on the line Y. Y. of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is apartial vertical section on the line Z. Z. of Fig.2; Fig.' 8 is an isometric view of oneset of blow pipes, detached: Fig. 9 is an isometric View of one scraperrl ig. 10 isanenlarged detail of one bumper headand connections. and Fig. 11 illustrates details of the shield and con nections. 1

Similar reference characters designate like parts in the different views.

' A zinc smelting 'ti u'na c'e of common con struction comprises a plurality of sections and each section commonly comprises sixteen retortsarranged'infour vertical series, each series. con'iprisingv fourretorts: The present apparatus is adapted to operate on the {eight rctorts of one half-section at each setting" of the apparatus; The retorts are firc clay cylinders having their inner ends closed. in thefront end of each retort is a condenser, also of fire clay, which extends forwardly beyondthe front wall of the fan na'ce. 'lhc condensers are held in place by loam tamped around the partsof the. condensers extending into the mouths of the retoi'ts, and the outer ends of the condensers are sealed with loam p plugs having \cnt o 'ici'iings. In practice asui table quantity of pulverized ore and pulverized .coal mixed in properpr'oportiong will be placed in andfinally recited in the connected with the retorts and sealed. The

fire willthen be started'and theretorts will be heated to a degree sufficient to volatize the inc, fihwill' pass to the condensers.

having upright end plates horizontal The comlensers are exposed to the atmosphere and cooler than the retorts. conseouentl r the vaporized zinc will he con- "saniple accumulates at the front ends of,

the retorts and on the hearth under the front ends of the retorts. This sample, or hlue-powder." contains a considerahle percentage of zinc which it is desin ahlc to save.

The process of smelting is progressive, hence the retorts of some sections must be cleaned out and re-charged while the smelting is progressing in the previously charged retorts in other sections; and in order to properly time the seve at stages ot' the operation and in order to economize in fuel, after the withd 'awal of the zinc; the cleaning out and re-charging of the retorts must he done quicklyand while all the retorts are very hot. i

The present apparatus is designed specially for ope 'ating on the hot retorts.

The apparatus as a whole comprises a movahle platform, a housing on the platform. a variety of tools supported in the housing and means for nmui 'uilatine the tools. The platform 1 is mounted on wheels :3 which travel on rails 3 parallel to the front of the furnace. The platform will he moved along the track to bring the housing in position innnerliately facing the seriesof retorts which are to he operated upon. The housing is a hos-shape metal structure, preferably covered with sheet iron plates. with asbestos hoard hetween the plates for insulation, and

cross hat-s5 and horizontal channeled guides ti. 7 A hood 7 is fitted over and adapted to slide on the upper part of the housing. for a purpose to he hereinafter explained. Chains 5) connected withthe hood 7 aiid the uprights 4 serve. to prevent excessive. upward movement of the hood 7. The bumper can riage comprises uprights 10 connected near their upper andlower ends hy hinged and pivoted cross hars 1;. The humper stems 12-) are connected with the uprights 10 hy pivots 16. The humper stems l-l are. prefen ahly tuhular. The forward ends of the stems have. sockets adapted to receive tangs 18 integral with the bumper heads Ill The lmnuierheads 17 are. connected with the stems hyiletachahlo pins 17 so the hamper heads may he easily removed for sharpening or for putting in other hamper l1 aids. The hamper heads 'n'eferahly have concave sides and selhsharpeninp edges as shown, but humper heads of other Sl'lltillJlOfOlIl'l may he used.

wheels 10 so that the carriage may be The uprights 10 are mounted on stems 13 to accommodatethemselves to the r airwardluon the platform. Horizontal bars 5 are meal on and extend across the front of the housing.

There are four pairs of bumper heads eonnectt d with the til will slide on the cross hars Z5 and the. humper heads may move inwardly or out wardly with the 'arriage. When in position for operation the bumper heads are in aliuement with and center with respect to the retorts. The retorts are usually irrclined dmvnwardlv. Pivots 16 permit the inclination of the retorts. lccasionally there will he a dilference between the centers of the tiers of retorts, the. hinged cross pieces 12 admit of adjusting, the width between the uprights 10 to correspond. to the width hetween the centers of the tiers of r'etorts. Horizontal so a per blades 19 extend substantially the entire width of the tool support and are equipped with forked handles 20 which support the scrapers in a horizontal position on the cross pieces 5 respectively. The handles 2U extend ran'waidl' and are used to slide the scrapers forwardly and rearwardlv. The scrapers may he operated imlepcndentl of each other.

The apparatus comprises two of blow-out" pipes. Each set comprises a vertical pipe 21. h rizontal pipes 2:! in cone. munication with the pipe it an intake 23 and a handle. 2- a horizontal position on the housii A valve :29 controls admission of vat-r or steam to the header 26. A hose connects the valve 35 with the source of water or steam supply. pipes 27 communicate with the header Flexible hose 3O communicate with the pipes :27 and-the valves 25. Valves .25 on the pipes 23 control the admission of water or steam to the lilo-Wont pipes. The for ward ends of the lJlUW-U'tlt pipes 2" re closed and :uljacent to the closed end of each pipe is a series of small perforations E22 through which water may he sprayed; The perforations are arranged to direct' the spray laterally and rearwardly. l r'henthe pipes and the hampers are retracted the lnnnper-heads 17 will he adjact-Pnt to the perforated parts of the pipes and when desired the laterally directed spray may he caused to strike the hamper heads and e mi them: and the rearward iv and laterally direrted sprays may he caused to strike and cool the hack and sides of the housing. Back plates are mounted to slide in the Vertical carriage so that their stems f "ill 78,5 18.

housing andv have wings ii l at right "angles to the plates, which. serve to shield the 5 operator from steam .-or hot residuuin' escaping through the openings. between the ends of the giiidesm The plates 33 have openings 38 ivhichare covered by the doors '37; openings 35 inwhich'the. scraper handles 1o slide, and one'of the plates has holes 40 in which the pipes 23 of the 'bloW-outdevice slide. Vertical parallel guides 36 are fixed on the plates 83 adjacent to the openings88. Dodrs 37, which slide in the guides 36 have slide.

' The bumper carriage I is movable forwardly, rearwardly, laterally and upwardly,

and a twisting movement may 'hegiven 20. thereto by means of the handles 31 in oi'der that the bumpers may be positioned to .si-.

-.n1ultaneously enter the 'respectiveuretorts. The bumper stems. 13 extend throughithe holes 39 in the doors 87; ,If thebumper carriage belitted the stems 13 will cause the doors to slide correspondingly upward, and

if the carriage be moved laterally the stems 13 will cause corresponding lateral movement of the plates 33. Theupipes 2301- the.

SQ blow-out devices, and the scraper handlesQO, also serve to slide the plates33 laterally in accordance with the lateral movementsoi the-blow-out devices or scra'persgas the case may-be. The. plates 33 and the. doors37 as together constitute a shield to protect the operator from the steam ,andh ot-residnum blown from the retorts during the operation:

of cleaning.

At the front of the housing and adjacent 40 .to the sides thereof are hinged be shaped wings- 16 which when in use serve to stop the. residuum blowing. laterally "and ,npwardlyfrom the mouths of the 'retorts.

When not in use the wings 46 will be turned rearwardly in a position parallel to the sides 4 and will be secured by suitable securing devices lZ which alsoserve as braces for the wings when the wings are in their extended position. Near the lowerend of the hous 59 ing is a stationary downwardly inclined bot tom plateau. Stationary guides 49, are parallel to the bottom plate. A slideii is adapted to slide in the guides 42 and has eyes 44- to receive hooks used .to manipulate the slide. A pan 45, ,to receive the blue powder, rests on the platform 1 and under the bottom plate ll and theslide 13. If the slide il he slid Upward to uncover the pan l the blue; owder scraped vfrom the retorts 9 will fall into. the pan. lithe slide id'be sllddownward to cover the pain the reelduinn falling on the plate ll and the slide will fall into apit (not shown) adjacent tothe front of the furnace. ln niactical use the apparatus g w ll he will thenbe opened to admit'watenor steam,-

disintegrates the residuum and blows itsont [the cellar-chute, or pit, not shown. The ex plosion in the retorts is violentand theresid uunris thrown outwardly with such'force that it would injure the operator if he were pension of the steam .in immediate contact the bumpers w'illjagaii be introduced,full length,-111to the retort 7 I toscrape out any. insidiouswhichmayhem v ing first moved rearwardlyto the full extent 4 andadjuste'd to dispose-the bumper-heads adjacent. to the-end ofthe retorts respec- .tively, and the slidef l3flwill then be. moved f npward to uncover-the Panfii. Thebumper carriage will then be moved forward a' shortdistance to cause the bnmper'heads to enter I the "retorts to an extent. sufiicientfor removing the bluepowder ovFsa'mple as it 1s variously. called. {The carriage will then be moved. alternately forwardlyand rear;

p \vardly to causethe' bumper headsto detachlg l 15,, holes 39 in which the hnmper stems 13;

the accretion adhering to the mouths of the g retorts and scrapethe; detached accretion move the bumper hea elslaterally away-from 5 the retorts. The scrapers 1'9 willvthen' be. moved in succession --forwardly. above the respective retort plates and. will'then' be.

lowered and moved rearwardlyto scrape thef-. blue powder from the retort; plates and cause it to fall into thelpanj i tobeafter Ward replaced. in the retorts-- and again smelte'd to extract the'zinc; The slide 43 Qwill then be pushed downward .t ofcove r the pan. One blowout device will then @be placed in alinement' with one tier of 'ret'orts. and will be pushed-forwardly to cause. the

pipes tornove into the retorts a suitable distance to be. determined by the operator according to..circu'n1stances. The valve 25 as the case maybe, into and'through the pipes 23, 21 and22 into-.the'jinteriors of the retorts respectively and afterwardthe other I blow-out device will be placed jjn proper. alinement and -will'be. operated. in like manner. W ater is'preferablyused in the -b-1ew' out devices. /Vhen thejwaterfor steam) strikes the hot inner walls of. the retorts it of theretorts and theresidunm'falls on the: l inclined bottom. plate 41 and then slides. downwardly on the slide 43 and falls into not protected by theplates 33 andthe doors 3'1. a'lheapressnre of the steam" emerging' from the retorts tends. to overturn the-apparatus or move it rearwar'dly'; to prevent displacementof the apparatus the-hood 7 his adapted to mov'e upward to facilitate ex with the face of the. apparatus and relieve ,the PIGSSLH'E against the front of the apparatus. After the hlmving-out is completed withdrawn and age.

and a iplianc the. 1'(5l$()1l355}ll1fl the apers will again be used to scrape the reslduuni from the retort plates; and this operation will bc repeated The expression a flexible carriage" means a carriage which is not rigid and which coniprises main meinbers-preteraliil v vertical,"

connected by t 'ansverse nuanbers having hinge connectmns with each other. to admit of moving the main members toward or away from each other. to 'arv the width of the carriage to correspond to the width between the tiers of retorts. said main memhers being also provided with pi vot-s for connecting the bumper stems with the main luclnliiers to permit the bumper stems-to orcillate in the planes oi the main members to alinel the bumper stems with the axes of the retorts arranged in rows. i i

The expression variably movable. as applied to the -arriage, means that the carriage is adaiited to be moved forwardly, rearwm'dlv. later-all and upwardly relative to thc trout ol the furnace and is capable of a twisting unncment in order that the tools s supported on the :arriage may be positioned to enter the respective retorts arranged in rows and tiers. and also means that the main or vertical members of the carriage are capable of movement toward or away from each other to aline the blow-out devices with the mouths of the respective retorts arranged in tiers.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ers Patent is:

1. In. an apparatus of the class described, the :aunbinatilm of a movable platform; a housing stationary on the platform; a flexible carriage variably movable relative to the housing; and a plurality of series of lilllll]lcrs flexibly connected with said carriage.

2. In an apparatus oi the class described. the combination of a movable platlorm;a box-shape ionising sationarv on the platform; cross bars stationary on the front of the housing; a flexible zarriage variablv' movable relative to the housing; lnnnpcrs flexibly cimncrted w th the carriage and variablv movable on said cross bars: handles for manipulating said carriage; and weights adjustable on said handles to rounl'erlialance said lnunpcrs. i

side pieces. casters supporting said side picrem hinged cross pieces pivotally connected with Mid s de pieces, and handles coonectednri i no": side pieces: in ombination with a box-shape housing. cross bars at the front. oi said housing horizonta guides at the back ot said liousing bach platen mounted to slide in said horizontal uides and providel'l with iripenings; vertical .l. A bumper carriage comprising vertical guides on said back plates; wrl'oratcd doors adapted to slide. in said vertical guides; and bumpers movable on said cross bars at the front oi the housing and having stems extending through the perforations ol said doors and pivotally connected with the side pieces of said carriage.

.-l. In an apparatus of the class descrila-d. the combination of-a box sllupe housing.

horizontal guides at the back of the housing;

perforated back plates adapted to slide in said guides. blow-out pipes adapted to slide in the perfr'iriitions oi said back lales. a vertical pipe connecting and communicating with said blow-out pipes. an intake pipe communicating with said vertical pipe. and a 'alve controlling the supply of Hold to said intake pipe.

5. In an apparatus of the class described. in combination with blow-out devices employing liquid to blow the residuum from hot rotor-ts; a box-shape housing adapted to face the retorts being cleaned. and a hood adapted to slide on said housing to permit expansion of gases within the housing.

6. loan apparatus of the class described. in crnnbinatimi with sc'apers adapted to sc ape blue powder from retort plates. and blow-out devices ellective tobloiv residuum from rctorts: a box-shape housing having an inclined bottom plate; guidesparallel to said bottom plate: a slide adapted to slide in said guides: and a box below the lmtl'om plate and the slide. said slide being capable oi retraction to permit the deposit of the blue powder in the box. and being ell'ectivin.

when extended. to cover the bo\' and guide to the place of final disposal. the residuum blown out by said blowout devices.

7. In an apparatus of the class descrilicih the combination of a box-shape housing: a header mounted on the housing;mean.-; for controlling a supply of fluid to the header: a plurality of series of blow-out devices movable l'drwardl; and rearwardly in said housing; and means for supplying fluid from the header to all the blowout, devices.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a box-shape housing. stationary cross bars atthe front of the housing and bumpers and blow-out devices supported on and adapted to slide forwardly and rearwardly on said cross bars.

,9. In an apparatus oi" the class described. the combination of bumpers adapted to be projected and retracted; means for snpporting said lnunpers; and blowout devices adapted to be projected and retracted and u-uvided with perforations adapted to direct sp 'n laterz-ally onto the bumper hcads to cool them while the blow-out device. and the bumpers arein their retracted positions. 10. In an apparatus of the class described.

the combination of a lam-shape housing. vertical lihixshapewings hinged at the front of the housing and effective to stop laterally moving and upwardly moving residuum, seclll'lllg devices adjustably connecting the wings with the housing, and blow-out ch vices adapted to 11156 violent discharge of residuum through the mouths of the retorts toward the housing and the wings.

R. \V. TROXELL, V. C. KIKEXDALL. 

